- I do not like being by myself … and I am going to let the whole neighborhood know about it
It started early at 7am this morning and now 5 hours later the barking continues … non-stop. Frustrated and tired of hearing the barking, Chris decided to head down to the neighbor’s property and see what was going on. In his dog run, Dylan a one year old Lab crossed- welcomed him with a wagging tail and sad whimpering cries. Just happy to see someone at long last!
His owners had left for work, carefully penning Dylan up in his outdoor run. Bored and lonely it seemed that Dylan was barking in the hopes of getting attention. His big brown loving eyes looked at Chris as if to say: “I do not like being by myself … and I am going to let the whole neighborhood know about it”
- I am spooked and scared … and maybe you should be too. Can’t you hear it? Oh – You are barking too. Great between the two of us maybe that thing will go away
Carmel is a sweet Shepherd cross but she barked at everything. A plane, a car passing by, stray pedestrians, a bird and sometimes invisible circumstances. The non-stop barking frustrated and annoyed, Lara and it seemed evident that there was no working solution. Lara would shout at Carmel to stop. And it would only get worse. At the end of her wit Lara started looking at barking collars and other anti barking devices.
A note on barking devices. In my opinion barking devices do not solve the problem. You might stop the barking but end up with a dog that develops neurosis because of the shocks from the barking collar. Or your dog might not want to go in the yard anymore because he associates the yard with being zapped or sprayed.
I am sure you can relate to these two stories and probably have more. Dogs bark! This is how they communicate with each other and with us as well. Human speak – Dogs bark.
But what are they really saying?
- I am warning you … stay away from my people!
- I am warning you … something might happen … there is something scary out there!
- I am warning you … you are to close from my space!
- Oh, I am so happy to see you. Want to play? Come on let’s play? Want to play?
Did you know that in the Wolf Kingdom only the young cub’s bark? They will bark as a call for play or as a means to ask for protection from the adult dogs. All dog trainers and behaviorists agree that our dogs still behave like wolf puppies. Even as adults they will never mature much more than a 2 year old wolf.
Our dogs bark as a warning signal and to try to get attention.
I am so bored
Five simple solutions If you have to leave your dog alone for a long period of time and the neighboors have complained about the barking.
1- Make sure he/she had a good walk before hand so he /she is tired and will more likely be relaxed.
2 – Give him/her something to do while you are gone. Stuffed toy with food works great or hide cookies throughout the house.
3 – If left outside, put the dog run away from the street or fence so he/she does not get stimulated by pedestrians and other dogs passing by.
4 – Do not make a fuss when leaving the house
5 – For some vocal pooches, the sound of a radio or TV will help calm them down. Some dogs are very receptive to certain type of music.
Your Dog Bark When You are at Home
- Use the command Quiet
When your dog barks, use the quiet command. Do not shout or speak in a loud voice. Your dog might think you are barking too and will become anxious! A firm low key “Quiet” will help your dog relax.
- Reinforce your position as pack leader
When your pooch understand you are in charge of the situation, he/she does not have to worry about it he/she will more likely relaxed and feel secure.
The Secret to Dog Training series offers a plethora of advice to solve dog behavior problems such as barking, pulling on the leash, jumping up, nipping, aggression and advice to help reassert your position as pack leader. Find out more here
Review for Secret to Dog Training
